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I have a new boat being delivered in April. 26' cuddy with I/O.
Originally I had looked into Boatel but now I have some options of paying a little more and getting a lift slip. I feel the first year of the boat I'll be on it more and will want to do more late afternoon evening trips before dusk. My concerns are availablilty of the fork lift in the boatel and/or leaving it in a temp slip overnight for the boatel. An in the slip, are the risks of environmental crud the same as a rack or does suspending the boat over the water a bit worse than the rack? The lift slip has electric and water. The boatel power washes when it pulls out of the water but some shut the forks down when there are as many boats out as there are temp slips thus, you can't guarntee your boat will be up on the rack that day. The lif slip costs more but is not that much more considering I am thinknig I'll want access more this year.
Any questions I should ask both marinas?
The only question I can think of is regarding the lift slip. What happens during a power shortage? Can you get your boat off or on the lift without electricity?
I have the same power shortage issue when the forklift operator shows up late because his alarm clock didn't go off. Nothing worse than depending on someone to show up on time to get your own boat launched! Just about the only "down side" to a "boatel" as you call it, unless of course they drop my boat.
South River or Rhode River. Currently looking at:
Turkey Pt Marina (lift)
Rhode River Marina (lift/boatel)
Londontown (boatel)
Do you leave your plug in or out on a lift?
I have mine on a lift in Rock Hall MD. The Boatel I am sure works for others. But I like to come and go as I please. Plus like most of us I am sure. I just like playing around the boat cleaning and polishing and just relaxing. I always leave the plug in.
I had nothing but problems in hte short time I kept my boat in boatel. I bought the boat new in 94 nad lived on the water, so I did my own work and took great care of the boat. When I moved to VA., I towed the boat down and took it to a boatel. The same day, I found out later, that the destroyed the engine mounting leg because I had used the tilting cam when I got there instad of the trailering arm. The foreman thought the hydraulic was stuck so he hit the tilt switch again & again until he broke the engine mounting leg. My tilt motor housing was running fine but rusted so I had them change it. After that, the tilt indicator didn't work. My wife walked into the shop while they were working on it and found them blasting the stereo. When I brokered the boat through them, the customer complained that the stereo didn't work. When they sold the boat they let the new owner use the license plates from my trailer and wondered why I was upset. That was just from mid april til August. They had the balls to ask why I wasn't keeping the new boat there.
Besides that, If I get up at 3AM and want to go fishing, I'm out of luck. I hate being at someones mercy when it's something that I love to do.
Wet slip for all the reasons mentioned above, plus, half the time I go down to the boat just to hang out, tinker, and chat with my dockmates. Not to much of that going on in a boatel!!
I have my boat at a Boatel in Bowlers Warf, Va on the Rappahanock, so far so good. Its only been there since August. Where did you have such a poor experience? Hopefully, I will have better luck.
I would be interested in hearing from anyone else who stores their boat in a boatel, good or bad experiences?
I kept a boat on an indoor rack in Londontowne during the late 80s and early 90s. The people were terrific, and I never had a problem or a delay getting it in or out. If I still lived down your way, I could think of no reason not to do it again.
I kept my boat in Londowntowne's boatel during the late 80s and early 90s. The people there were terrific, and would always put the boat in the night before if I wanted to go out at first light. If I still lived down your way, I could think of no reson not to go back to them.
Lift slip vs Boatel 
Nothing worse than depending on someone to show up on time to get your own boat launched! Just about the only "down side" to a "boatel" as you call it, unless of course they drop my boat. 
